Cancer Cells and Effects of Glucose Starvation

Abstract

As the main energy source for the human body, glucose metabolism plays multiple roles in the physiology of cancer cells. In the environment of hypoxia and low sugar, cancer cells transform the normal glucose metabolism to aerobic glycolysis autonomously, regulated by different molecules. Under conditions of glucose deprivation, cancer cells suffer from the inhibition of growth, the arrest of cell cycle, apoptosis, and autophagy, regulated by respective associated proteins and pathways. It is possible that glucose deprivation alone or in combination with pharmacological therapy would be effective in the treatment of cancer “addicted” to glycolysis. However, several experiments have demonstrated that cancer cells may develop tolerance to glucose deprivation. In this review, we discuss these issues in order to provide a clear understanding of effects of glucose starvation on cancer therapy.